That the time will come when a few words delivered with meeknesse of wisdome shall afford them more comfort than great volumes written with scornefulnesse and in the ferment of a sower and angry spirit for 't is an honour to any man to be a Slave to another mans reason and Master of his own passions vale Thine in the Lord Jesus Richard Vines Sam Fisher A Preface to the READER BEing by the good providence of God heretofore engaged in the vindication of several truths which were of concernment to his Church especially the Birth-priviledge and Covenant-holinesse of the issue of beleevers I was unwilling to be silent when a spirit of opposition prevailed lest the truth for which I had stood and make it may glory ever to own should suffer In a designe of this nature the greatest question with me was how to proceed to the best advantage of truth personal conflicts are highly wearisome and ungrateful there is much time spent with very little satisfaction to the Reader even where most satisfaction is given to an adversarie He must be followed in such paths that he goes which often are not very acceptable to the Reader to accompany And for the businesse in hand viz. the vindication of a beleevers faederall holynesse till the ground work be right laid and well understood the superstructure in any such dispute managed in the most dextrous way that is conceivable will scarce settle those that are weak and not yet well informed or established I judged it therefore a way most satisfactory and of greatest and most probable hopes for the clearing not only of this Controversie but many more now in agitation to adventure upon a full Treatise of the Covenant which God hath entered with man and the various dispensations and diversifications of it whether such as were occasioned by mans fall or that God according to his Sovereignty by his just Prerogative hath been pleased to order where this is not in some measure clear many truths of great weight must needs lie obscure Master Baxters words in his Preface to the Reader before his Aphorismes of Justification are very remarkable It is not in studies saith he as it is in manifactures that one man may begin where another left but every man must fetch it from the very principles himself neither can we take the words of those that have studied it before us for that is neither a sound nor satisfactory knowledge quoting Mr. Pemble thence it comes to passe that while we are busie in examining our fore fathers inventions and posterity imployed in trying our Examinations neither we nor they have much time to adde any thing for the encrease of learned knowledge Now the Covenant must needs be the principle where we must begin to get knowledg of the seals of the Covenant This way therefore resting on divine assistance I have chosen quickened to it as by the excellency and great concernment of the subject so also by the desires of many that this thing in a just Treatise might be handled And when my thoughts were most full of it and busiest about it and some preparations made for the work the Stationer by letter solicited that I would enlarge my Birth-priviledge and sit it to these present times and he would see it published Hereupon I went on in the work a Scheme of which follows here in an Analytical Table in which I have received help from many as my slender furniture and strength with leasure to attend the perusal of them would give leave yet I have tied my self to follow none I think there is scarce any thing in which I am singular I have so much childish fear as scarce to dare to wall in publick where I am alone yet in several things I shall be found to dissent from others and those of eminent name with whom I should blush to have any thoughts of comparison There are dissentings among those that are of highest repute In such case no inferior can agree with both parties and therefore it must not be deemed any piece of arrogance or singularity to leave the one where I am put to it to differ the Reader shall finde my reason together with my opinoin If better light lead him another way I shall never desire that he shall go with me blindfold or leave the truth to have me his companion yet least in leaving me he should let go the truth it self I shall only request an unprejudiced and unbyass'd judgement If he bring a blood-shot eye all will appear of a wrong colour It cannot be hoped but that wading through so many particulars I shall meet with opposition froÌ„ some hands I would only let such know first that I have made no man my adversary out of will as desirous to be a man of contentions I sometimes close with my greatest adversaries and sometimes dissent from my most honoured and admired friends I think I have as strong an antipathy against quarrels as Luthers against covetousness I only leave where that light that for present I enjoy leads me another way 2. That I have wrote nothing but that which as I beleeve so I resolve God assistiâ—g to hold till a more clear light detect my errour There are few things that have vented but many yeers have held my thoughts words or shews will not work me out of them 3. That I am not yet so wedded to an opinion but am ready to yeeld up my self to be over-ruled by reason He is the happiest man that lies under the conquest of truth 4. That no man shall displease me that will deal argumentatively with me either by the clear immediate testimony of Scripture or arguments by just consequence derived from them but in case I shall meet with such dealing as I have found to have my words by enterchange made not mine but the adversaries own my Arguments misrepresented and held out to the halves I shal give those leave to hold up and pursue quarrels with their own fancies My years and employments together with my weaknesses will be a sufficient Apology to hold me back from intermedling in such trifles And for the Reader that would read for satisfaction I would acquaint him First that I have made it my businesse to cast the whole mould and Series of the work that he may find method and order in it if at any time through inadvertency or otherwise he be at losse and especially if he take not the whole work before him as I should desire he may soone have recourse to the Analytical Table and see in what order that which in present his eye is upon stands in the whole discourse If he gaine no advantage by the method into which it is cast much paines and industry of mine is lost Scondly That I have made it my studie to leave out no piece or part which may be fairly looked for within this Verge but have endeavoured to take the whole into consideration studying to avoid two
officium est non quod ipse velit sed quid sentiat ille quem interpretatur exponere Alioqui si contraria dixerit non tam interpres erit quà m adversarius ejus quem nititur explanare And let the impartial and learned judge whether somewhat more cleare light is not here added to their full meaning and the adversaries Sophismes more cleerly detected Fourthly The least blow which Mr. Tombes received purposely intended for him was from Mr. Baxters hand which work contains many irrefragable Arguments to assert Infants Church-Membership and Baptism from several Scripture-Texts if not of themselves plain yet made plain so that he needs not blush at his Title but he doth not make it his businesse fully to answer Arguments on the contrary where he is most full I have been most brief where he is most brief I have been more large he hath satisfied his Reader I hope the Reader will say that I have in that part done somewhat for satisfaction of my adversary Sixthly The last part of this Treatise as the advice on the top of the leaf may signifie is no more than a new Edition of with an ample addition to my Birth-priviledge which above my expectation found so good acceptation onely handling it there Sermon-wise as fixt on a proper Text and here by way of Treatise as a branch of this doctrine of the Covenant I was put to it in a great part to change the methodand texture of it so that it may rather seem to those that compare them a new frame with much borrowed from it than the same reprinted and enlarged and there I have endeavoured satisfaction to that which some have said in the way admitting Infants not according to their Parents-priviledges but qualification not as they stand in relation to God but as they fill up their relation which new limit I hope I have discovered to be unwarrantably put casting those out which the Church according to the mind of God from Abraham to this time hath received to the disquiet of our Congregations and multiplication of our sad and deplorable differences Seventhly I have made it my businesse to avoid all impertinencies and unnecessary dilatations being ambitious to speak multa in paucis and not to put the Reader to paines to finde out a little which may serve his purpose in much affecting brevity so farre as may be without obscurity In all which I shall only request two things of the Reader and both of them such that God himself commands First Not to have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ the Lord of glory with respect of persons that he do not take an estimate of doctrinal points or controverted opinions according to the outward garb in which men appear by reason of any dignity relation power or any such circumstance whatsoever If this once prevail opinions will be taken up not according to the strength of truth that is seen in them but according to the quality of him that vents them they will judge of the faith by the men not of the men by the faith and upon this account on all hands truth is in danger And as men in their reputations ebbe and flow their judgements of things must hold up or fall Truths sometimes will be cast off barely on the low repute and meane condition of such that do deliver them Though Christ spake as never man spake and al treasures of wisdome were hid in him yet it was enough against him that he was a Carpenters son Matth. 13. 55 that none of the Pharisees and Rulers beleeved in him or sided with him John 7. 48. A poor man may save a City and never the lesse his wisdome despised Eccles 9. 16. sometimes because they are not men of our interests that hold it they make not up a party for us The more considerable the interest is the greater the hazard in these cases truth runnes Paul being brought before a Councel Acts 23. had not a man of whom we can read for him but all against him for this reason because it did not appear that his opinions served any of their Interests when he observed this and saw their Interests divided and that his adversaries made two parties he declares himself to be for the Interest of the one against the other and in point of the Resurrection to be for the Pharisees against the Sadduces bred up in that way and so persisted hereupon having not a friend before now he hath many There arose a great cry and the Scribes that were of the Pharisees part arose and strove saying We find no fault in this man but if a spirit or an Angel hath spoken to him let us not fight against God Verse 9. now and not before he must be heard Upon the same terms that truth is cast off errour is received and taken in nothing must be gainsaid that men of name men of Interest will appear to own yea relations kindred and affections this way gained are mightily prevalent to work into Faction and take up Tenents As diseases many times run in a blood so also opinions where they take in a kindred often very few escape Twenty Sermons were Paul yea Jesus Christ in the Pulpit would not so take to settle men in the truth as one poor Letter or simple senselesse three-pennie Pamphlet from the hand of a childe a brother or sister will work to draw into Errour I will not here undertake to determine who are meant by children in that speech of our Saviour Christ Matthew 12. 27. It appears that it spake some relation that drew affections and therefore whereas Christ is censured to cast out Devils by Beelzebub the chief of Devils when any of these do such a work they are cryed up in another manner It was a true Observation of him that said Omnia diota tanâ—â— astimantur quantum est ipse qui dixerii nectam dictionis vim atque virtutem quam dictatoris cogitent dignitatem The second request of mine is that men take heed of having mens persons in admiration because of advantage we have seen the mischief that respect of persons works and advantages will work men in the height of it That way that men can either save themselves from danger and hold where they are or rise up to a greater height the world is apt to take and the Religion of that side shall be theirs Hence it is that when godlinesse ought to be the chiefest gain gain with these is their whole godlinesse and state Religion is almost the faith of every man Those of that party still 〈…〉 for 〈…〉 depart the least from the very height of their own principles for it but they will have all others upon account of their prevalency come into it so that self is no other than their unity paraphrased and so long as providence holds them up they are not much mistaken Reâ—sians will become Jewes when Mordecai a Jew is the man that rules Saul saw that
that was a mighty motive to draw a party in war to have the gift of vineyards and oliveyards to be the fountain of honour able to make Captaines over thousands hundreds fifties It is no lesse to draw on a party in Religion as every turne of State respective to Religion is a clear evidence If these stumble upon truth they yet hold it upon such carnal motives that they are neither true to it nor receive the comfort of it Make truth then the greatest advantage there is glory enough in it without any farther garb to have it in admiration own it though with a scracht face where you find it though you be otherwise at losse it will bring an hundred-fold with it If I can but gain these things at thy hands I shall not feare that this piece shall run the hazzard of thy censure spare no errour in it so that thou wilt gladly take up and rest satisfied in all the truths that thou findest That truth may have the first place in thy soul is the desire and prayers of him that can do nothing against but for the truth Thomas Blake November 27. 1652 Imprimatur EDM. CALAMY An Advertisement to the Reader touching this second Edition READER IT was once the sad complaint of Reverend Davenant that Religionis nostrae mysteria quae sunt ad parem solatium animarum promulgata in solam penè litigandi pugnandi materiam vertantur The great mysteries of Religion those pretious Beamings of the Sunne of righteousnesse which were shed abroad for the begetting of spiritual heat and life in the beleeving heart were often eclipsed and their influence much debilitated through the intervening body of cloudy Controversies This way Satan gained upon the Church in its Infancy which gave occasion to that good admonition we have upon record from the blessed Apostle Heb. 13. 9. Be not carryed about with diverse and strange doctrines for it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace What these diverse and strange doctrines were Interpreters have their different thoughts which I shall wholly wave the Reader may yet observe the Apostle hinting at and tacitely reproving the pronenesse that was in men eagerly to pursue studiously to sweat and tug about empty notions whilest the spiritual sense and feeling of truth in the heart was little heeded The same Apostle traces Satan in the same design among the Colossians Cap. 2. Which puts him upon that pathetical exhortation Cap. 3. To seek the things that are above to lay out their zeal and centre their affections upon things of a more solid sublime and spiritual nature viz. the application of Christ in the power of his death and precious in-comes of his Spirit for the mortification of lust What unspeakable advantage this continued enemy of a beleevers life and comfort hath gained in our age not to mention the spoyles made in the intervening our present breaches sad decays two fully evidence yea so fully that did not a graciory word uphold and everlasting armes fix themselves underneath our ruines had been uncapable of any further breach In the midst of these astonishing providences and terrible dispensations the Lord such is his infinite wisdome and goodnesse hath brought forth meat out of the strong and honey out of the destroyer These windy stormes have through rich grace more deeply rooted some whilest others have been tossed to and fro these Controversal collissions have brought forth much light thus Satan lyes bleeding under his own weapons Among other precious treasures which the Church through mercy doth enjoy here thou mayest see truths of the greatest concernment to beleevers polemically vindicated practically improved that mens judgments might be ballanced and their hearts feel the weight of truth both which necessarily make up a beleevers acquaintance with the truths of Christ as they are in him The Covenant of grace both in its sure mercies and distinguishing priviledges is a truth of the greatest magnitude appearing rather as a glorious constellation than shining with the light of a single starre It is a rich Cabinet of Diamonds rather than any single jewel How far the Reverend Authour my ever Honoured and endeared Father hath been serviceable in the hands of Christ for the unsealing of this rich Cabinet the abundant acceptance which this Treatise found from men eminently judicious when it was wrapped up in the swadling bands of blurred papers before it went abroad doth fully speak I need not adde those many special acknowledgments from some of the ablest pens in the Nation which after the Authors death were found upon the file in his study much might be spoken by me did not my relation to him command a silence the Lydian Princes tongue would break no bonds when violence was offered to his father give me leave to apply that to the Reverend Author which sometimes was observed of the Athenian Orator that in his publique discourses he did not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but aculeos in animis auditorum relinquere And if I may without envy adde holy Melancthons pythy verse upon Luthers picture Fulmina erant linguae singula verba tuae But I shall forbear craving only thy patience in receiving an account how far thy gain will be doubled in this second Edition In the first the Learned Author was necessitated to take notice of several controversies which were then started these afterwards growing more personal therefore only beautiful in their season are in this wholly waved and truths asserted in Thesi In the first several expressions through the natural brevity of the Authours stile were obscure and occasioned the readers stumbling In this they receive an additional light what passages might seem abstruse now are enlarged In the first the method was unavoidably clouded in several places through digressions and appendices In this each head is digested in its proper place In the first several things were omitted which now upon second thoughts and deeper wading into the controversies herein handled are by the learned Authour in this inserted And the whol of this don by the Authors own hand which he had no sooner taken off and sent it to the Presse but the Lord dispatched a fiery chariot for him which took him away to the enjoyment of Truth it self what thou readest of him now was sealed with his death They that were acquainted with his state and frame of spirit in that juncture of time when it was finished must needs testifie there was no room for any carnal end to byasse or self-interest to steer his notions Respective to the doctrine here asserted I shall assure thee from the mouth of this blessed Author that as he sweetly laid down his life in clear and unspeakable assurance of glory so he dyed without the least Scruple in any of the truths here vindicated I shall no longer entertain thee in the porch but give thee possession of the house craving only thy Candor in the perusal of it orphane children
he 1 There is a passive receiving of Christ You will say saith my Authour what is passive receiving of Christ I answer saith he A passive receiving of Christ is just such a receiving of him as when a froward Patient takes a purge or some bitter physick he shuts his teeth against it but the Physician forceth his mouth open and poures it downe his throat and so it works against his will by the ever-ruling power of one over him that knows it is good for him Thus I say there is a passive recipiency or receiving of Christ which is the first receiving of him when Christ comes by the gift of the Father to a person whilest he is in the stubornesse of his own heart 2 There is an active receiving of him c. This distinction carries a full contradiction in it self There cannot be in the same subject a meere passive and active recipie cy of the same thing as appeares in the similitude brought to illustrate it This froward Patient that hath a medicine forced into him in which he is meerly passive cannot again afterward receive that medicine If Christ be thâ—s forced and enters against our will then we cannot actively at any time after receive him And could it be reconciled unto it self yet it stands in full opposition to Scripture Christ stands at the door and knocks Reâ— 3. 20. He waites till his locks are wet with the dew of the night as Cant. 5. 2. But he makes no forcible entry we read of Gods power in changing the will that it freely accepts but not forcing gifts of grace upon any against their wills Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power Psal 110. 3. He works a will Philip. 2. 13. Christ dwells in none that rise in hostility against him and the positioâ— which the distinction is brought to assert That unbelief is no bar hindring one from having Christ is no better If unbeliefe be no barre to our receiving of Christ then it is no barre to salvation where the Saviour enters he brings salvation He that hath the Son hath life 1 John 5. 12. But we finde it evidently a barre to salvation according to Scripture Joh. 3. 36. He that beleeveth not the Sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him He that beleeveth not shall be damned Mark 16. 16. Yea according to the Author himself There is no person under heaven shall be saved saith he till he have beleeved which is a truth according to Scripture They could not enter into the rest of Canaan that did lie in their unbelief Neither can they enter into the rest of heaven Heb. 4. 1. Then Christ dwells not in our hearts by Faith Ephes 3. 17. But also in a state of unbelief Then God is not a justifier of those that beleeve in Jesus as Rom. 3. 26. but equally justifies men without Faith in Jesus Then Christ is not set out a propitiation through Faith in his blood but without any Faith in it Then they that beleeve are not only justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses but they that beleeve not And God gave his Sonne that he that beleeves not on him should have everlasting life This doctrine layes all the honour of Faith in the dust Then Habakkuk might have spared this speech that the just shall live by Faith Habbakuk 2. 4. and Paul might have found another way of life in the flesh than by Faith in the Son of God Secondly Object It is said that the justification of a sinner was with God from eternity It was in his purpose before all time to discharge his Elect and to lay nothing to their charge So then this is as election it selfe unconditional To which I answer Answ That this ovethrows the redemption wrought by Christ and the price paid by his sufferings as well as the necessity of Faith What need Christ to be at all that pains to undergo all those sorrows as to be a man of sorrows to do that which from all eternity was done Then as Paul sayes in another case Christ is dead in vain This some have seene yet rather than leave their opinion have chosen to swallow it down and the absurdity with it and do maintaine that Christ did not purchase procure or work any love from God for man but only published and declared that he was from eternity beloved A fit conclusion drawn from such premisses Then Christ was no Authour of eternal salvation as Heb. 5 9. but only the publisher He was a messenger from God in the dayes of his flesh but no Saviour of man He did not redeeme us with a price but only made known that we were so farre in the love of God from eternity that no redemption needs Secondly I say Gods purpose of a thing doth no put it in being He takes his own way to bring about in time that which he purposed before all time All that is done even every work under the Sunne was alike from eternity in the purpose of God Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world Acts 15. 18. So the house that was built this day was built from eternity The childe that was born this day was borne from eternity We may as well say that the Elect were glorified from eternity so that they need to look after no other glorification as to say they are justified from eternity All the works of God were in his purpose from ever who sees all things at once and not as we can comprehend them in their respective succession But we enquire after things as they are in themselves and not as they are in Gods purpose Thirdly Object Some say justification can be no other than an act of God from eternity being an immanent act and not a transient Transient acts are in time done in the juncture of time when God pleases to do them but immanent acts of God are from eternity Answ To which I first answer that it is not without danger for us to bring the actions of God under our examination and then to fix School-notions upon them according to which they must be bounded When as Master Burges well observes we are here in meere darknesse and not able to comprehend how God is said to act or work Treatise of Justification page 166. How much more safe were it for us to learne à posteriore from the mouth of God in Scriptures what his actions are and the order how he works than à priâ—re to conclude that they are thus and thus and therefore thus of necessity he must work Yet if we may be so bold as to look into this act of his and take it into consideration according to this notion we may farre rather conclude that justification is an action transient not immanent An immanent action as the Schooles tell us is terminated within the subject and works no real nor evident
because their sanctification and good works have some imperfect agreement with the Law of Works This and much more to assert a personal perfect inherent righteousnesse as is said all which as it is here held out to me is new and I must confesse my self in ignorance all over I never took imperfect righteousnesse to imply any such contradiction no more than imperfect holinesse Isaiah I am sure saith All our righteousnesse are as filthy rags Esay 64. 6. No greater charge of imperfection can lie against the most imperfect holinesse than the Prophet lays upon our righteousnesse Neither do I understand how holinesse should be imperfect taken materially and righteousnesse perfect taken formally in reference to a rule We may for ought I know as well make holinesse formal and refer it to a rule and righteousnesse material in an absolute consideration without reference to any rule at all And in such consideration I do not know how there can be perfection or imperfection either in holinesse or righteousnesse it is as they come up to or fall short of the rule that they have the denomination of perfection or imperfection Pauls Gospel-frame whether you will call it righteousnesse or holinesse is set out Rom. 7. full of imperfection yet all this as in reference to the rule as it answered or fell short in conformity to it verse 22. I delight in the Law of God after the inward man And whereas a charge of ignorance is laid even upon learned Teachers that commonly understand the word righteousnesse and righteous as it referres to the old rule I professe my self to have little of their learning but I am wholly theirs in this ignorance I know no other rule but the old rule the rule of the Moral Law that is with me a rule a perfect rule and the only rule The perfection of this holiness and righteousness in mans integrity stood in the perfect conformity to this Law and the reparation of this in our regenerate estate in which the Apostle places the image of God must have reference as to God for a patterne so to his Law as a rule As an image carrying an imperfect resemblance of its samplar is an image So conformity imperfectly answering the rule is conformity likewise A perfection of sufficiency to attaine the end I willingly grant God condescending through rich grace to crown weak obedience in this sense our imperfection hath its perfectnesse otherwise I must say that our inherent righteousnesse is an imperfect righteousnesse in an imperfect conformity to the rule of righteousnesse and without thir reference to the rule there is neither perfection nor imperfection in any action See Doctor Davenant disputing against justification by inherent righteousnesse upon the account of the imperfection of it de justitia habituali pag. 349 and how fully he was perswaded of the imperfection of this righteousnesse appears in sentences prefixt before two Treatises as may be seen in the margent In the last place I shall conclude that sincerity in the way and work of God which Scripture also calls by the name of truth integrity simplicity uprightnesse perfectnesse an heart in the work of God whole and unfeigned is that which the covenant of grace doth require and that which it accepteth This God in covenant gives in charge and this he rewards and crownes The Law stands as a rule and the charge in it is the highest top of perfection without the least indulgence in any case of failing suitable to the abilities that once were put into our hands God in Gospel-condescensions will have this rule eyed with a single and upright heart universally eyed and observed both in our returnes from sin and in our application to God in new obedience This doing of the will of God from the heart with good will-doing service Eph. 6. 6 7. Serving with a willing minde 1 Chron. 28. 9. This preparing the heart to seek the Lord God of our fathers Ezra 7. 10. This delight in the Law of God in the inward man Rom. 7. 22. though it be in much weaknesse and with strength that is little Rev. 3. 8. by reason of inward corruptions Rom. 7. 23. Gal. 5. 17. enemies without Ephes 6. 12. is required of God in covenant and through grace accepted And as faith which as we have heard is the other new covenant-condition brings us into communion with God So this of a sincere heart and walk holds in communion Faith gives accesse to God in grace and through sincerity we walk with God in grace to glory Both of them are called for of God both accepted with God and both of them crowned with glory That in this degree obedience is both required and accepted in the Gospel is evident This where oever it is God observes and eyes 2 Chron. 16. 9. For the eyes of the Lord runne to and fro throughout the whole earth to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect towards him Herein thou hast done foolishly therefore from henceforth thou shalt have warres These have letters testimonial from heaven Job 1. 8. Hast thou not considered my servant Job that there is none like him in the earth a perfect and an upright man one that feareth God and escheweth evil Gen. 7. 1. Thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation According to the degree of this higher or lower they have praise 2 Chron. 29. 34. The Levites were more upright in heart to sanctifie themselves than the Priests yea where there is integrity in a single act this God notes Yea I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thine heart Gen. 20. 6. These God protects with his omnipotence preserves 2 Chron. 16. 9. The eyes of the Lord runne to and fro throughout the whole earth to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect towards him He is a buckler to them that walk uprightly Prov. 2. 7. In these God takes pleasure I know my God that thou triest the reines and hast pleasure in uprightnesse 1 Chron. 29. 17. Unto these God speaks peace Do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly Mich. 2. 7. This the people of God plead with God as an argument to finde favour in his eyes Psalme 26. 1. Judge me O Lord for I have walked in my integrity 1 Chron. 29. 17. As for me in the uprightnesse of my heart I have willingly offered those things Psalme 18. 23. I was also upright before him c. This hath been the high ambition of the servants of God in their most sad troubles to reach David begging mercy saith to God Behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts Psal 51. 6. This hath upheld the souls of the Saints in their greatest difficulties with all joy and consolation 2 Cor. 1. 12. For our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience that in simpliciâ—y and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdome but by the grace of God we
do them that ye may live and go in and possesse the land which the Lord God of your fathers giveth you Deut. 5. 33. You shall walk in all the wayes which the Lord your God hath commanded you that ye may live and that it may be well with you and that ye may prolong your dayes in the land which ye shall possesse Deut. 30. 16. In that I command this day to love the Lord thy God to walk in his wayes and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgements that thou mayest live and multiply and the Lord thy God shall blesse thee in the land whither thou goest to possesse it Deut. 6. 24 25. And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes to fear the Lord our God for our good always that he might preserve us alive as it is this day And it shall be our righteousnesse if we observe to do all these commandments before the Lord our God as he hath commanded us We may so interpret those Scriptures and the Jewes as it appears for a great part did so interpret them that they hold out a covenant of Works when Grace was not at all acknowledged to assist in doing nor Christ known at all to satisfie for failing and to expiate for transgression These seeing nothing but a reward upon labour and punishment in case of transgression They may yet be so interpreted as taking Grace in the Work for change of the heart and putting it into a posture for obedience according to that even in Moses Deut. 306. I will circumcise thy heart and the heart if thy â—eed to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul that thou mayest live and so these duties are only Gospel qualifications of truth and sincerity of obedience In this sense which they may well bear and I take to be their native sense here is no more than what we finde in the Gospel from Christ and the Apostles They that have done good shall rise unto the resurrâ—ction of life John 5. 28. To them that by patient continuing in well-doing seek for glory and immortality eternal life Rom 2. 5. Where as in many other places we may see that according to the New covenant a man may make the attaining of life the end of his work and the Reader may see phrases of his nature to be New covenant New Testament and Gospel-language unlesse they will charge Christ and the Apostles to have Old Testament-spirits To save a mans self may be so understood as to bear a sense purely legal anti-Evangelical and opposite to Grace or Faith in Christ and so it is used by the Apostle or a phrase very near it For by Grace ye are saved through Faith not of your selves it is the gift of God Eph. 2. 8. Not obscurely shewing that if we are saved of our selves it is not of Grace not of Faith and not the gift of God Yet the phrase may be understood in a Gospel-sense as requiring and implying no more than our endeavour in a state of grace through the assistance of the Spirit to walk in Salvation-way To strive to enter in at the strait gate and to seek the Kingdome of God and the righteousnesse of it and so we finde it used and that more than once in Scriptures 1 Tim. 4. 16. Take heed unto thy self and unto the doctrine in so doing thou wilt save thy self and them that hear thee Ministers taking heed to doctrine save hearers and yet are no saviours in opposition but in subordination to the Lord Jesus Ministers and others taking heed to themselves save themselves and yet are no self-saviours in opposition to free grace the merit of or faith in Christ Jesus Peter in his first Sermon after receiving of the holy Ghost preâ—cht the Gospel yet he urg'd this which some will have to be no other than a covenant of Works Save your selves from this untoward generation Act. 2. 40. And the Apostle preacht no other thing than Christ and him crucified when he called on the Philippians to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling Phil. 2. 12. To be found in our own righteousnesse in that sense that Paul uses it Phil. 3. 8. doth exclude the righteousnesse of faith that was no bottom on which he durst stand yet in the sense that Ezekiel uses it the soul is delivered by it Though Noah Daniel and Job stood before me they would but deliver their own soules by their righteousness Ezek. 14. 14. so Ezek. 18. 22. In his righteousness that he hath done he shall live Noah was an heir of the righteousness of faith Heb. 11. 7. as the Holy Ghost himself witnesseth yet the same Holy Ghost tells us that his own righteousness delivers his soul So Solomon saith Righteousnesse delivers from death he doth not only say it would deliver were it exact and compleat but such as it is it doth deliver Prov. 20.2 David as Paul observes describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works Rom. 4. 6. Yet the same David puts blessednesse upon works Psal 112. 1. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord that delighteth greatly in his commandments Psalme 119. 12. Blessed are the undefiled in the way who walk in the Law of the Lord Blessed are they that keep his testimonies that seek him with the whole heart Ps 128. 1. Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord that walketh in his wayes And so also the Apostle James Who so looketh into the perfect Law of Liberty and continueth therein not being a forgetful hearer but a doer of the word that man shall be blessed in his deed James 1. 25. The Apostle Peter tells us We are kept by the mighty power of God through faith unto salvation 1 Pet. 1 5. Our salvation is not in our own keeping It is not our own care that frees us from destruction yet John saith He that is begotten of God sinneth not and keepeth himself that the wicked one toucheth him not 1 John 5. 18. Here are the same words affirmed and denied and both from one and the same mouth of truth a different sense therefore is to be enquired after A righteousnesse which is the condition of the covenant of Works out of our own inherent strength and abilities in an exact perfection is denied a righteousnesse not of us but through grace wrought in us in sincerity which the covenant of Grace calls for is asserted and required Ninthly Though the whole Law that Moses delivered from God on Mount Sinai to the people and is among the sacred Oracles of God for posterity do containe a covenant of Grace yet the Law is taken sometime in that strict sense as containing a covenant of Works and holding forth life upon condition of perfect obedience So the Apostle Rom. 10. 5 6. puts an opposition between the righteousnesse of the Law and the righteousness of Faith So also Gal. 3. 18. If
case he pleased but will not neither is he bound Sinne no otherwise follows upon reprobation not as a cause efficient but deficient not whereby any thing is removed that is present but that is not supplied which is wanting And Master Ball in his larger Catechism p. 57. Sin is the effect of mans free will and condemnation is an effect of justice inflicted upon man for sin and disobedience But the decree of God which is good is the cause of neither The signes of Reprobation may appear in those that are thus dischurched according to that which is quoted out of Ames but not as an effect of it The severity which God sheweth in not sparing but breaking off these natural Branches is explicitely no more then that which Jesus Christ did threaten against them Mat. 21. 43. That the Kingdome of Heaven should be taken from them and given to a Nation bringing forth the fruits thereof the same which he threatens against Ephesus Rev. 2. 5. in taking away their Candlestick which is the effect of their own sin and not of Gods decree Argument 1. Sixthly If re-ingraffing of the Jewes produceth salvation is by turning them from iniquity taking away their sins according to Gods Covenant then it is into the invisible Church by giving faith But the former is true v. 25. Ergo the latter Answ This Argument well husbanded might haue made three To the first â— say that priviledges enjoyed in a Church-state in Scripture-phrase are the salvation John 4. 22. Seeing Church-members are partakers of sauing Ordinances And the fruition of Ordinances under Gospel-dispensations is a great salvation Heb. 2. 3. And so that Text Rom. 11. 26. all Israel shall be saved must be understood as the last Annotation speaks The body of this people in general shall be brought againe into a way of salvation and re-istablisht into the Church of the whole Israel of God consisting of Jewes and Gentiles And so Diodate That is the body in general shall be put again into a way of salvation and re-established into the Communion of the Church And such men brought into a Church-state are turned from iniquity partially from their former way of iniquity their contradicting and blaspheming having escaped the pollution of the world 2 Pet. 2. 16. of the world that remaines out of the Church of God Their sinne is pardoned quoad hoc and when Moses prayed for the pardon of the sinne of Israel Exod. 32. and God proâ—miseth it 2 Chron. 7. 14. it is so to be understood of a National dardon Argument 7. Seventhly If the re-ingraffing be by vertue of Gods Election and love his gifts of calling then it is into the invisible Church by Election and giving Faith But the former is true v. 28 29. Ergo the latter Answ His Election love and gifts of calling did at the first put them into a visible Church-state and condition Deut. 7. 7 8. The Lord did not set his love upon you nor chuse you because you were moe in number then any people for ye were the fewest of all people But because the Lord loved you and because he would keep the Oath which he had sworne unto your Fathers c. And the same love election and gifts of calling now they are broken off doth re-ingraffte them If this Argument hold it was an invisible Church that was brought out of the land of Egypt Here our Authour sayes with much confidence that he questions not but all Anti-Arminians that understand the controversie will disclaime Master Geree in this answer and acknowledge that the election love gifts and calling meant Rom. 11. 28 29. are by faith into salvation But he is much deceived Those before mentioned understood somewhate and Diodate in his Annotations hath these words God never recals his grace which by absolute decree he wil communicate to some person or Nation to call them to him and to have right to his Covenant Now the election of this people hath been such above all others in the world who being once called have and may fall totally and irreparably which this people cannot without repentance that is to say irrevocable of which God never repents Calvin on the words saith This is to be held that private Election is not here handled but the common adoption of the Nation which in outward appearance seemed for the time to be lost but not cut off from the root And presently after The Apostle argues that the counsel of God whereby he once chose to himself that Nation in peculiar remaineth firme And Paraeus in dubio decimo nono on this chapter understands it of the constancy of the love of God towards his own Nation And most fully in dubio vicesimo where urging Stapletons objection That it seems from this irrevocablenesse of the gifts and calling of God the assurance of grace and salvation cannot follow 1. Because as Stapleton objects and Calvin and Martyr confesse the speech of the Apostle is not to be understood of the election of each particular person but of the common adoption of the whole Nation and this common grace of adoption of the whole Nation was mutual for they fell from this gift To which Paraeus sayes Stapleton's corrupt glosse is easily answered 1. Saith he It is not denied that the Apostle spake this of the Common that is the federal dignity of the Nation of the Jewes and that the irrevocablenesse in God is to be understood yet it is denied saith he that from hence the assurance of particular persons is not concluded yea from the lesse to the greater it is firmly concluded For if the Apostle from common grace do rightly conclude this irrevocablenesse in God much more may it be determined from that grace which is proper Ravanellus in verbum Electio understands Election in v. 28. of common Election as he do also in 1. Pet. 2. 9. Amesius is urged as an adversary yet appears otherwise The Remonstrants giving two answers to this Scripture The second is the self-same in 〈◊〉 with Stapletons To which Amesius replies Coron page 233 234. This is their custome to take one part of a truth and to abuse it for the overthrow or removal of another So that it appears according to him that they spake truth in the denial of this to be meant of the unchangable decree of eternal Election but they abuse this truth in about to avoid the argument drawn from it for perseverance As Jesuites and Arminians do object it so their adversaries freely confesse it I have indeed sometimes in my thoughts doubted how fitly this Text was brought against Arminians for proof of perseverance and estament of assurance yet satisfied my selfe according to what hath been said but since I had any understanding never questioned but it was here applied according to the minde of these Authours to the National priviledge of the Jews the full scope of these Chapters being to dispute the rejection of Israel after
the flesh their former dignity and consequently their future recovery unto the state from whence they were fallen in which the Gentile-Nations by discipling do succed let us go no farther for determination of the question then the preceding verse As concerning the Gospel they are enemies for your sakes but as touching the Election they are beloved for the Fathers sake Here is to be enquired 1. Who were enemies concerning the Gospel 2. Who the Fathers are for whose sake they are beloved 3. What this election is and then we shall soone see who are beloved for the Fathers sake For the first It is not the spiritual seed that were as concerning the Gospel enemies that is the highest of contradictions but as Diodate sayes the Jewes who at present time were alienate from God by reason of rebellion against the Gospel which only can unite souls to him Enemies against the Gospel are enemies against God which cannot be understood of spiritual Israel The fathers for whose sake they are beloved are the ancient fathers from whom after the flesh they did proceed especially Abraham Isaac and Jacob. The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prepter patres for the fathers Then Election must needs be as Paraeus upon the words Diodate and Ravanellus in verbum Electio observe understood of an external grace of the Covenant whereby God chose this Nation to himself according to that of Moses Deut. 7. 6. For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God The Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself above all people that are upon the face of the earth unlesse we are elect in Abraham to salvation and not in Christ And Abraham Isaac and Jacob are our Mediatours reconciliation and when the Apostle saith We are accepted in the beloved Ephes 1. 6. it is to be understood of acceptation in Abraham and we are to conclude our prayers not in and through Christ but Abraham Isaac and Jacob we are not for their sakes beloved to salvation Paraeus indeed makes the grace of eternal Election to be secondarily here understood which God saith he deposited in that Nation for adopting them into Covenant he makes it evident saith he that he hath many of that Nation and ever shall have that are Elect unto salvation But this is not the Election here mentioned but only an adjunct of it and now of it self it will follow that these beloved for Abraham Isaac and Jacob are the children of their flesh Because saith Paraeus God loved the Fathers the love extends it self to the children for if among men friendship with parents be divolved to Children why should it not be so with God likewise I desire that it may be considered for whom Moses interceded when he prayed Remember Abraham Isaac and Israel thy servants to whom thou swarest by thy own selfe and saidest unto them I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed and they shall inherit it for ever Exod. 32. 13. Was it not the whole body of Israel And for whom is it that God promises to remember his Covenant with Jacob and also his Covenant with Isaac and also his Covenant with Abraham Levit. 26. 42. Was it not the whole Nation under suffering as there is exprest I will remember the land Either then Paul and Moses erre together with the list of Authours here mentioned or else the love election calling in this place is into a Church state and condition Argument 8. Eighthly If the ingraffing both of Jews and Gentiles be the fruit of Gods mercy the breaking off by shutting up in unbelief then the ingraffing is into the invisible Church by election and giving faith But the former is true verse 30 31 32. Ergo the latter Answ The priviledge of a Church-state which the Jewes once had and againe shall have is a mercy as may be seene Hosea 1. 6 9. Our Author addes What shall I say more It is so plain from the whole scope and tenour of the Apostles words that the ingraffing there spoken of is into the invisible Church by election and giving faith that from the first of the chapter to verse 13. there is scarce a verse but speaks of rejecting foreknowing election grace hardening giving a Spirit of slumber darkening the eyes stumbling falling or some equipollent terme to these and the Apostle doth plainly signifie his intention in all that discourse to be the shewing the mystery of Gods counsel in electing reprobating blinding conuerting one while the Jews another while the Gentiles so that I cannot but admire that Mr. Marshal should interpret the ingraffing of bare admission into visible Church-membership Answ 1. I would willingly learne what ingraffing by Election is I take Election to be an immanent act in God which is terminated in himself and not on the creature such expressions do not suit with so high pretendings to scholastical learning as every where may be seen in this Authour 2. I would have this Argument made up by taking in the assumption which can be no other then this But the Jewes in their fall from Church-fellowship cannot be said to be rejected hardened given to a spirit of slumber or that their eyes are darkened or that they have stumbled neither Election or Grace should have any hand in their Church-fellowship This must be the reasoning if there be any shew of reason in this heap of words and then all may well admire while he is in his admiration of others I say no more but that he is very weak both in Divinity and Logick that cannot presently upon the first sight discover the weaknesse and return a satisfying answer to this flourish of words Argument 9. Parallel places as is said must be understood of implanting into the invisible Church as Ephes 3. 6. 1 Cor. 12. 13. Gal. 3. 14 26 28 29. Answ Master Hudson page 132. hath not onely affirmed but proved that the Text 1 Cor. 12. 13. is meant of the Church as visible to whom I referre the Reader He places his greatest confidence in the first as he professes and thus enlarges upon it Now sure the Gentiles were made fellow-heires of the same body and co-partakers of the promise of God in the Gospel not by an outward Ordinance but by giving of faith according to Election Ergo the ingraffing Rom. 11. 17. parallel to it is not by an outward Ordinance but by giving Faith according to Election To this I onely say O that this were truth Then as the Apostle saith of Israel at their restauration all Israel shall be saved Rom. 11. 26. so we may say all England in statu quo shall be saved in the sense that he would understand salvation Whether we be by descent Britaines Saxons or Normans we are gentiles and consequently by his Divinity partakers of the Gospel by Fatih according to Election But it is too clear that
v. 22 23. lays down the history which afterwards he allegorizes in five verses and then makes application of the history and not of the allegory v. 29. 3. That to be born after the flesh should import birth of Abraham as a beleever and so natural generation of each child of a beleever in that respect â—ut then to be borne after the flesh would be common to Isaac with Ishmael to him that is borne after the spirit of the free woman by promise with him that is borne after the flesh of the the bond-woman for to be borne of Abraham or a beleever agrees also to Isaac to him that is born after the Spirit of the free-woman by promise whereas to be borne after the flesh is taken in a sense from which Isaac and we that is Paul and other Christian beleevers are excluded That is that certain clear truth by way of necessary corollary would follow which that great Doctor Abbot in the place quoted takes for granted speaking of both births and applying his tantummodo twice over to Ishmaels birth he clearly signifies that Ishmael had this honour and that Isaac had it likewise and that which is far more noble together with it 4. It is said that I quite pervert the Apostles intent in taking to be born after the flesh to impart an honour whereas the Apostle mentions birth after the flesh as a debasement takes it in the worser part not as importing a descent from the father but from the mother and that mother a bond woman and therefore the children servants or bondâ—slaves by reason of their being borne after the flesh And doth not the Apostle tell us in the relation of the history of their father as well as their mother does he not speak of one common father in these words Abraham had two sons as well as of two different mothers and I dare not take the boldnesse to exclude either I confesse the Apostle mentions birth after the flesh as a debasement in putting it in opposition to birth of the Spirit yet I affirme that he mentions it also as an honour As circumcision was a debasement in one respect Eph. 2. 11 and an honour in another Rom. 3. 1. Phil. 3. 5. It was an honour to have Circumcision in the flesh they were thereby a people of God in Covenant but it was a debasement being put in opposition to circumcission in heart and to the worshipping of God in Spirit and in Truth it was an honour to be born of Abraham after the flesh and frequently mentioned in Scripture as an honour but an abasement when it is opposed to the birth of God by the Spirit Much more might be animadverted but this is enough as I think to the cause and I purposely avoid all that concernes the person I know not what more may be said but I finde nothing as yet said but that which instead of evincing the contrary being thoroughly examined is a more full confirmation that in New Testament-times such a distinction of births is in New Testament-times continned clearly hinted and taken for granted here and in other Scriptures fully exprest CHAP. LIII Matth. 19. 14. Mark 10. 14. Luk. 18. 16. Vindicated THat Text in the Gospel uttered by our Saviour Christ and recorded by three Evangelists comes now to be considered Suffer little children to come unto me and forbid them not for of such is the Kingdome of God In the whole Narrative in Gospel-records we may see First The pious care of Parents or others in their stead to present Infants to Christ Secondly The harsh entertainment that they found from the Disciples of Christ Thirdly The good will of the Lord Christ towards them manifested 1. In his displeasure against those that forbade their coming 2. In his free admission of them 3. In gratifying their requests that brought them 4. In receiving them in his Armes In the words that we have in hand we see 1. Their admission or at least charge given for it Suffer little children to come unto me 2. The reason for of such is the Kingdome of God Here is wont to be enquired 1. What moved these thus to present their children This by the Evangelists is expressed that Christ would put his hands upon them and pray Which as they requested so he condescended to answer He put his hands upon them and blessed them They looked upon Christ as it seemes as a great Prophet highly in favour with God and such were wont to bless in the name of God and their blessing was highly prized Hands were used to be imposed as in sacrifices Exod. 29. 10. so on persons in blessing Gen. 48 14. The reason that moved his Disciples to forbid their coming can scarce be doubted They saw men resorting to Christ either moved by his Doctrine or his Miracles either to be instructed or cured neither of these could be in their thoughts that presented these little ones They were uncapable of his teaching being infants and that they needed not his cure being not diseased and therefore they rebuked those that came to tender them Now to come to a clear understanding of the words we shall lay first some positions concerning these Infants admission and afterwards come to the consideration of the reason First That these were Infants or as Infants in an incapacity to learne ought from Christ and so actually to imbrace Christ or enter Covenant themselves with him Which does appear 1. In that they are called little ones 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. They were brought and came not on their own accord 3. In that Christ took them up in his armes 4. Had they been capable by age of instruction with what colour could any have denied them Why might not they come as well as those multitudes that flocked to him 5. Why were not the children themselves spoke to to forbear to come rather than those that brought them not to bring them If they were capable of instruction they were capable of rebuke 6. Why is there no word of instruction spoken to them The young man that came to Christ was instructed by Christ in the same Chapter So should these have been instructed as well as blest had they been in a capacity for instruction Secondly As they were in an incapacity by reason of age to be taught so they were not as was said diseased to have need of cure This the Disciples well knew that this was usual with Christ to cure those that laboured under infirmities of all ages and therefore would never have had it in their thoughts to have rebuked those that brought these and the Evangelist would never have concealed this reason and mentioned another Such a thing as this I said was vented in a Manuscript but I knew not that ever any print had maintained it Now I am told that there is a book in Folio entituled Baby Baptisme meere Babisme that doth assert it If any man will trouble himself with the book